Energy Pyramid Directions
Name ______________
1. Label each level of the first pyramid side with the following terms as you move up the pyramid:
Producer, Primary Consumer, Secondary Consumer, Tertiary Consumer.
2. Label each level of the second pyramid side with the following terms as you move up the
pyramid: Plants, Herbivores, Carnivores, Top Carnivores.
3. On the third side, draw a picture of what might exist in each trophic level and then label each
trophic level from bottom to top with: autotroph, heterotroph, heterotroph, heterotroph
a. flowers, trees, grass, algae
b. caterpillars, cows, grasshoppers, rabbits
c. humans, birds, frogs, snakes
d. tigers, snakes, raptors, sharks
4. On the last (fourth) side draw a simple food chain that has 4 levels. Suppose your
producer has 4000 grams of energy. Put that number next to the producer. Fill in the
remaining grams of energy available at each level.
5. Shade (very lightly) or outline the first (bottom) level of each pyramid section green.
6. Shade (very lightly) the second level of each pyramid section yellow.
7. Shade (very lightly) the third level of each pyramid section blue.
8. Shade (very lightly) the fourth level or top of each pyramid section red.
9. Cut out your pyramid leaving a little white paper on the edges. Write your name inside
the pyramid. Fold along the sides and glue together. Show pyramid to me and have me
sign: _______________________________
Answer the following questions:
1. What are 2 terms used to describe organisms such as trees?
2. What are 2 terms used to describe organisms such as cows?
3. What are 2 terms used to describe organisms such as humans?
4. What are 2 terms used to describe organisms such as tigers?
5. Do organism always stay in one trophic level? Explain
6. Explain why there is less energy available at the top of a food chain.
7. Where does the food chain or food web get its initial energy?
8. Explain what the arrows in a food chain or food web mean.
9. Explain what happens in a food chain if one species were to be removed from the
ecosystem or become extinct.
10. What does biomass mean?
11. Where is the largest amount of energy in the ecological pyramid? The least number of
organisms?
12. Describe how a food web works and why it is important to the health of an ecosystem.